Kimberlee Eskierka
Interim Chief Human Resource Officer
Kimberlee Eskierka is the interim chief human resource officer (CHRO) for UC San Diego Health, leading the HR team that supports more than 20,000 UC San Diego Health and Health Sciences team members. She sets the human resources vision, spearheading initiatives that align with UC San Diego Health’s operational and strategic priorities.
Ms. Eskierka leads talent acquisition, organizational development, employee advocacy and labor relations, human capital planning, and HR operations. As a member of the executive team, Ms. Eskierka works closely with Health Sciences leadership, chairs, deans and department business officers to enhance and expand shared human resources for the top-ranked UC San Diego School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science.
Ms. Eskierka has more than two decades of HR leadership experience in the public and private sectors and has also served as a board agent for the National Labor Relations Board. She has led several transformative human resources initiatives with a wealth of experience in employee and labor relations, talent recruitment and retention strategies, process improvement, training, leadership development and fiscal responsibility. Her career reflects a commitment to positive, inclusive workplace culture, with hands-on experience spanning multiple states and Puerto Rico.
Prior to her current role, Ms. Eskierka made significant contributions at UC Davis, where she designed HR programs and supported joint ventures and strategic initiatives. Her exceptional partnership and support for her nursing colleagues earned her the prestigious 2024 Friend of Nursing Award. Before her time at UC Davis, she held several leadership roles at UC San Diego, where she had UC systemwide influence as a trainer, mentor, and speaker on HR topics.
Beyond UC San Diego Health, Ms. Eskierka is an active member of the Personal Advisory Board for the Port of San Diego and previously served as their chair. Ms. Eskierka is also an author and has published articles on burnout and human capital management. She holds a Senior Professional Human Resources (SHRM-SCP) certification and a Professional Business Mediator Certificate. She has a bachelor of science in business administration and a master of business administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.